The Lower Colorado River Authority and Travis County Parks operate 15 parks on the reservoir. Several of these parks provide campgrounds, beaches, picnic areas, boat ramps and opportunities for shoreline fishing. Entrance and/or launch fees are charged at some parks. For details, choose a point on the map or a name in the chart below. (CHECK OPEN RAMPS HERE.)

Mansfield DamRamp Elevation (min. usable): 636'(maintained by Travis County)
Location:From the intersection of RR 620 and FM 2222, travel south 4.9 miles. Turn right onto Mansfield Dam Drive., just south of Mansfield Dam. The park entrance is on your left. Hours of operation: Sunrise to 9:00 pm for day-use visitors. Overnight camping available. This park is heavily used, largely because it is one of the main boat ramp access points on Lake Travis. As its name implies, it is adjacent to Mansfield Dam and is located on the main body of Lake Travis. Often overlooked is the adjacent primitive area and the possible presence of archeological sites. Camping is popular, along with picnicking and various water sports. Go to Travis County Info on Mansfield Dam.

Cypress Creek
Ramp Elevation (min. usable): 666'(maintained by Travis County)
Location: From the intersection of RR 620 and FM 2222, take Bullick Hollow Road west 2 miles. The park entrance is on your left, just before the intersection of Bullick Hollow Road and FM 2769 (Old Anderson Mill Road). Hours of operation: Sunrise to 9:00 pm for day use. Overnight camping available. Cypress Creek Park is located on Lake Travis in the scenic Hill Country of central Texas. This small, easy-to-reach park (within a half-hour's drive from downtown Austin) is a favorite spot for boating, picnicking, and fishing. The main body of the park has a gently sloping waterfront. The boat ramp and cove provide easy access to the popular basin area of Lake Travis and other Travis County Parks on Lake Travis.

Volente Area (next to Highland Lakes Marina)Ramp Elevation: Unknown; but the ramp is an old road that led to a town at what is now the bottom of the lake.Location: From the intersection of RR 620 and FM 2222, take RR 620 south to Anderson Mill Road. Turn left (on what is really RM 2769) and travel ? miles. Turn left on ?.Hours of operation: Open round the clockOne might say that the best thing about the road near Volente Beach Club is that it's the only free public boat ramp on Lake Travis, but that would be forgetting that the REAL best thing about the road is that it's got less traffic, better wind, and better beaches than Mansfield Dam.
The road used to go to a town that's now at the bottom of the lake, so if it seems to just keep going down into the water, it's because it does. Be sure to check the road surface when the water is low. The surface is soft, and can trap boat trailers if they sit in one place too long. The road is best when the lake level is high.

When Travis County residents think of water sports, Bob Wentz Park at Windy Point is often their first choice. The county has recently completed a $2.5 million renovation at this park, making it even more attractive for picnicking, swimming, wind-surfing, sailing and scuba diving. The shoreline areas are heavily used, while an adjacent 150-acre area remains undeveloped. The park includes two sand volleyball courts, a hike and bike trail and a pavilion available for rental. For the safety of park visitors, the boat ramp is limited to sail craft.

Roughly 45 minutes from downtown Austin. Pace Bend is one of the most popular recreational sites in the entire Hill Country. With more than nine miles of lakefront for swimming and boating and a natural area open to hiking and horseback riding, this Lake Travis park appeals to diverse interests. Boating is very popular, in part because of two boat ramps without the long lines often seen in parks closer to Austin.

Sandy Creek Park
Ramp Elevation: 665' (Maintained by Travis County)Location: From the intersection of RR 620 and FM 2222, take Bullick Hollow Road west 2 1/2 miles to FM 2769. Turn left onto FM 2769 and travel 4 miles to Lime Creek Road, through the town of Volente. The park entrance is on your left. Hours of operation: Sunrise to 9:00 pm for day use. Overnight camping available. Sandy Creek Park is located on one of the quieter coves of Lake Travis, in the scenic Hill Country of central Texas. This 25-acre park is an ideal spot for swimming, nature walks, birding, camping, and fishing. Boaters and overnight campers will appreciate the park' easy accessibility to the basin area of Lake Travis as well as its close proximity to Austin. At the same time this park offers a serene, wooded environment away from the heavier boat traffic found on other sections of the lake.

Arkansas Bend ParkRamp Elevation (min. usable): 660'(maintained by Travis County)
Location: From Highway 183, take FM 1431 south 11 miles to Lohmans Crossing Road. Turn left on Lohmans Crossing Road and travel 4 ½ miles to Sylvester Ford Road. Turn left on Sylvester Ford Road and travel 1 ½ miles to the park entrance. Hours of operation: Sunrise to 9:00 pm for day use.

One of the most isolated and untouched parks in Travis County, this peaceful 195-acre park lies on the north shore of Lake Travis near the community of Lago Vista and combines many of the best qualities of other Lake Travis parks. The park's two miles of shoreline offer opportunities for hiking, fishing, camping, picnicking and lake access via an excellent boat ramp. Several inviting, shaded picnic and camping areas are situated along a bluff above a gently sloping, rocky waterfront.

Camp ChautauquaRamp Elevation (min. usable): 655'(maintained by the Chautauqua Foundation)Location: Take State Highway 71 west from Austin to RR2322. Go north 4.6 miles to Pace Bend Park. At the gate entrance indicate you have a reservation and ask for directions to Camp Chautauqua. Hours of operation: Camp Chautauqua is open year-round. Visitors should check in during gate hours.
- Summer office hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Summer season is April 1 to Sept, 30.)
- Winter office hours: 10 a.m. to 12 noon (Winter season is Oct. 1 to Mar. 31.)
Special arrangements can be made for late arrival by calling 512-264-1752

Camp Chautauqua is a 115-acre site owned by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) and operated by the Chautauqua Foundation. The camp is in LCRA's Pace Bend Park, about 30 miles northwest of Austin. The camp is designed for overnight use. Reservations are required. Use fees.

Camp Chautauqua is for individuals and families who seek an uncrowded camping experience. It is for recreationists who want peace and quiet. It is for public agencies and private businesses that want to give their employees a different kind of learning environment. It is for family reunions.

Camp CreekRamp Elevation (min. usable): 667'(maintained by LCRA)Directions: Camp Creek is located on the north side of Lake Travis about 18 miles west of Lago Vista or eight miles east of Marble Falls near the Smithwick community. Take FM 1431 to County Road 343 and continue about one-half mile on this road to the site entrance. Hours of operation: Available for recreational activities 24 hours a day. Large groups numbering more than 20 persons are required to have a land-use permit.

The shoreline at Camp Creek is shorter and steeper than at many of the other properties included in LCRA's Recreation System. Because the 65-mile long Lake Travis is the primary flood-control reservoir on the lower Colorado River, the level of the lake can change, sometimes very quickly. Visitors should be aware of fluctuating lake and creek elevations, especially during rains.

Narrows Recreation AreaRamp Elevation (min. usable): 658'(maintained by LCRA)Directions: The Narrows is located on the upper south side of Lake Travis near the community of Spicewood. From Austin, to the southeast, take State Highway 71 and turn north on Spur 191 and proceed approximately one mile to Spicewood. Continue traveling north approximately 1.1 miles on Burnet County Road 410 to the intersection of Burnet County Road 411, which is a gravel road. Once on County Road 411, travel approximately 1.5 miles north to the entrance for the Narrows Resource Area. Hours of operation: The Narrows is open year-round. Please help keep it clean for everyone by depositing litter in the site dumpster or by carrying it out with you. Organized groups numbering more than 20 persons must have a land use permit. For more information, call (512) 473-4083, or toll free (800) 776-5272, Ext. 4083.

With approximately 250 acres, the Narrows Recreation Area is one of the smallest tracts in the LCRA Recreation System. Used primarily as a launch site for boats, the Narrows contains the only public boat ramp on the upper south side of Lake Travis.

The boat ramp has a paved parking lot for car and trailer parking. Boaters should avoid using the boat ramp during low-water conditions; the end of the boat ramp drops sharply. A wind warning light system is in place at the ramp. When wind speeds reach 18 mph, lights will begin flashing.

A limited number of camping spots are available and can be readily identified by metal fire rings. There are no restrooms, potable water sources or trash collection services at the site.

Because the 65-mile long Lake Travis is LCRA's only flood-control reservoir, the level of the lake can change, sometimes very quickly. Visitors should be aware of rapidly changing lake levels, especially during rainstorms, when using these lowland areas.

Gloster Bend Primitive AreaRamp Elevation (min. usable): 662'
Off FM1431 at the end of
Singleton Road on the north side of Lake Travis about six miles west of
Lago Vista, this LCRA recreation area is limited to daytime hours and
vehicles must stay on designated roads and parking areas. Nice swimming
areas, but you have to carry everything from the parking lot to the
water. Boat ramp is open 24 hours. Fee.

Grelle Primitive AreaRamp Description:
A hiking trail winds around this
400-acre park. The park is on the south side of the lake; from TX71 take
Spur 191 into Spicewood, make a right on County Road 412, and follow it
about a mile past Krause Springs. The park has a nice, low shoreline
with lots of open spaces, shaded camping spots, and restrooms. Fee.

Briarcliff MarinaBriarcliff Marina's deep water boat ramp is one of the best kept
secrets on Lake Travis. For a low daily fee, you can launch
your boat
on our quiet, concrete boat ramp and leave your boat parked
at our
convenient courtesy dock while you park your vehicle a short
distance
away at our marina parking lot.
Briarcliff
Marina's boat ramp is less crowded than most other public
boat ramps,
so you will rarely need to wait long for your turn to
launch. Briarcliff
Marina's boat ramp is on a protected cove, so you will have
some of
the calmest water on Lake Travis to launch your boat.

Of course, Briarcliff Marina's ship store
and fuel
dock are conveniently located to serve
you by topping off your gas tank before taking off for a day
of fun
on Lake Travis. Stock up on ice cold drinks and snacks
before you
start your day, and come back to eat lunch or dinner at the Lakehouse
Cafe, literally a stone's throw from the Briarcliff
Marina boat
ramp. And, since Briarcliff Marina is centrally located
about halfway
up Lake Travis at Mile Marker 26,
you
can choose to either boat downstream towards the more
familiar main
basin of Lake Travis, or explore the upper part of Lake
Travis that
is normally out of reach from most marinas.

Mile marker buoys mark the center of the channel of Lake Travis and are sequentially numbered. Mile Markers start with mile marker 1 at Lake Travis’s Mansfield Dam and increment by 1 (i.e. Mile Marker 2, Mile Marker 3, Mile Marker 4, etc.) for each mile traveled upstream in the Colorado River channel of Lake Travis. Each mile marker is a buoy secured in position by an anchor and located approximately 1 mile from the next nearest mile marker in either direction. Lake Travis mile markers are lighted at night with colored lights to faciliate evening boating on Lake Travis. Green mile markers have odd numbers (1, 3, 5, etc.) while red mile markers have even numbers (2, 4, 6, etc.). By following the mile markers in Lake Travis, boaters can determine their approximate location in the lake, estimate how far they have traveled, verify which direction they are headed, and safely navigate nearest the deepest part of Lake Travis.

Occasionally, a Lake Travis mile marker may become detached from its anchor or may become damaged or inoperable. To report problems with mile markers or buoys, call the LCRA at 1-800-776-5272, Ext. 2693 or 2957 and give them the Lake Travis mile marker number.

The following GPS waypoints/coordinates are provided for general reference.THEY ARE NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION

GPS waypoints/coordinates for Lake Travis:

GPS waypoints/coordinates start at the dam and work up the lake. Each entry starts with Lat/Lon, then waypoint name for the GPS receiver followed by a description of the waypoint. Note that the naming convention used is the first letter of the lake name is the first letter of the waypoint. All points here are named T????? This keeps all of the Lake Travis points together in my receiver. All lake points end in P or PT; all creek entrances, coves, and canyon entrances end in C; and any marinas end in M.

In the vicinity of Lake Travis 1 minute latitude equals about 1.15 statute miles (5280 feet) or 1.01 nautical miles (6000 feet) and 1 minute longitude equals about .99 statute miles or 0.87 nautical miles. Therefore, one tenth of a minute is about 600 feet and one hundreth of a minute is about 60 feet in either latitude or longitude. The points indicated here should be within about 60 feet of actual points on the ground. This is roughly the same as the estimated position error (EPE) available from the GPS system.

The points are generally in the water, just off of the topographical feature indicated. The GPS waypoints/coordinates will help you know where you are on the lake. Extreme CAUTION should be used when navigating to the points. USE THIS INFORMATION AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Buoys and markers are water traffic signs that provide offering direction and information. They also help identify danger areas and restricted zones.

Here are the basics to help you get familiar with buoys and markers:

Learn to identify the different types of buoys and markers and what they mean – see the illustration below.

Mile/channel markers are installed on the main channel of the Colorado River on lakes Buchanan and Travis. The river channel is not marked on other Highland Lakes.

Mile/channel markers are placed about one mile apart and are sequentially numbered starting at the dam. Facing upstream, green markers are on the left and have odd numbers, while red markers are on the right and have even numbers.

It’s a violation of state law to moor or attach a vessel to any buoy or marker. It’s also illegal to move, remove, displace, tamper with, damage or destroy any buoy or marker.

Hazard buoys on LCRA lakes are installed and maintained by LCRA. Regulatory buoys on the Highland Lakes must have a permit from LCRA. For information, contact LCRA.

BUOYGUIDE

KNOW YOUR BUOYS

The following are buoys and markers that all boaters on the Highland Lakes should be aware of:

Channel/mile markers

Controlled area
This is a controlled area. No fishing, no anchoring. There may be water-skiers. Slow down so as to not create a wake.

Danger!
Written description of danger may be displayed outside the diamond shape, e.g., rocks, stumps, hazards or shallow areas.

Green "can"-shaped buoy
Facing upstream, these green buoys are on the left. They have odd numbers, and may have a green light on top.

Red "nun's cap"-shaped buoy
Facing upstream, these buoys, shaped like a nun's cap, are on the right. They have even numbers and may have a red light on top.

Occasionally, a mile/channel marker or buoy may become detached from its anchor or may become damaged or inoperable. To report problems with mile/channel markers or buoys, call LCRA at 1-800-776-5272, Ext. 4783.

Do you have a question about renting a Lake Vacation Home, buying a home or selling yours, or would like more information on Vacation Home Management? Please feel free to e-mail or call using any of the information below. You will get a response as quickly as possible.

The information herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. However, no investigation has been made to determine the accuracy of such information. No person or entity should rely on the accuracy of this material without conducting a thorough, independent investigation of same. JW Properties has no liability expressed or implied relating to this information.